Of that time, she has said, My sister and I grew up in a world of books, country life, horses, dogs, and a variety of other pets, a background threaded by colorful strands of wit, hearty laughter, singing, hospitality, and naturally in Maryland, good food.
Sometimes I think these brief, pungent expressions of man's age-old wisdom have had more influence than anything else in shaping my life.
'[1]She attended a secretarial school in Baltimore from 1916 to 1917, preparatory to travel to China for the Methodist Women's Board.
She met her husband, John Abraham Lewis, who was also a Methodist Missionary in the Upper Yangtze for many years.
Once back in the United States, she used her Chinese experiences as inspiration for novels and short stories.